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Accusations of x-ism and y-phobia – Updated with examples!

For any value of x (Remember your algebra?) there is an ism that can be appended to weaponize it. Sexism racism, ageism, ableism, and so on. Similarly any value of y can be weaponized by adding the suffix -phobia. Homophobia, transphobia and so on.

Let’s look at the one most commonly used, racism. Racism is a bad thing because it stereotypes huge groups of people by genetic endowment, presuming that every individual of the group shares equally in the traits ascribed to it. There are people who are truly racist and that is unfortunate. I remember riding the bus one day on which an old couple repeated over and over, in the presence of an East Asian man, “All Chinamen have wooden heads.” Most moral, sensible people will view such ideas, and those who express them, as repugnant. Moral, sensible people don’t want to labelled ‘racist.’

Isn’t she annoying? Typical Leftist.

But when the Left uses the term it has a different meaning and purpose. In the first place they don’t care a fig about whether you are racist or not, they generally are themselves. What it really is is a tool of social control. Its purpose is to shame you into silence. What it really means is, “You are a bad person for not parroting the politically correct line I am advocating and I’m going to call you names until I make you cry and you shut up and go home.” Or just “Shut up” for short.

So how to counter it? In the first place, don’t start out with, “I am not racist!” That will just set up the follow up punch, “You are so!” Then they have you on a hook you can’t get off. The issue becomes whether or not you are a good person. In these kinds of interactions the attacker has the advantage and will tend be perceived as more moral by onlookers. Do not get sucked into this, it is a trap.

Get right back in their face with something like, “Racism doesn’t have anything to do with it and you know it. You just want me to shut up. You just want to call me names because you don’t have an argument, you don’t have any facts and you don’t have any answer to my arguments and facts. You know that kind of moral posturing is pathetic, right?” Shift them over to the defensive by taking away their presumption that they hold the moral high ground. If they still want to argue after that hit them with the absolute failure of the progressive agenda in almost any arena. Great if you have examples that apply directly to the issue under discussion, but it is not necessary, the point is to stay on the attack.

For extra credit turn their arguments against them personally. Most of these people just want to feel morally superior, they just want to signal how virtuous they are, that they are good people. This is a red flag that they need some kind of compensatory prop to shore up their own insecurities. Use this against them; turn about is fair play. “You say I am racist because I don’t support the Progressive Cause du Jour. Well what about this glaring contradiction? How can you support/oppose Z when this other thing is going on? What are you doing about that?” Virtually all the crimes the Commie swine accuse us of are the very crimes they secretly commit.

This tactic will work with any of the names they want to call you. It is important to remember that for the Leftist the issue is never the issue, it is about claiming the moral high ground and silencing you, feeling strong about themselves by intimidating you, inflating their power by persuading you to relinquish yours. Don’t you let them.